Washing machine



Dec. 29, 1936. 1.. D. SCHMIDT WASHING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 51,1931 'asneeis-s'neet 1 INVENTOR' I 11.0 Sc/zmidzf BY Mfzv ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1936. sc x 2,066,232 WASHING MACHINE I ori inal Fil ed Aug. 51, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 2' 47 I n I 7 INVENTOR. L. D. Schmidt! CITJ W' 6 ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1936. SCHMIDT 2,066,232

WASHING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 51, 1931 sfiheets-sheet 5 /&

IN VEN TOR.

a; -j; WM ATTORNEY ?a tented Dec. 29, 1936 PATENT OFFICE WASHING MACHINE Louis D. Schmidt, Fairmont, W. Va., assignor of one-third to Spiro Gotses and one-third to Samuel Scarlats, both of Fairmont, W. Va.

" Refiled for abandoned application Serial No. 560,426, August 31, 1931. This application nocember 13, 1934, Serial No. 757,406

2 Claims. (01. 141-9) This application is a substitute for' my former ibandoned application Serial No. 560,426, filed lugust 31, 1931.

The invention relates to improvements in dishvashing machines of the cabinet type in which a ank is provided to contain the cleansingv solution ind a pump to force the solution from the tank hrough a header to be sprayed upon the articles be washed, and in which a means is also prorided for spraying the articles with rinsing water liter they have been subjected to the action of the :leansing solution. One of the objects of the nvention is to provide means for returning to ;he tank the sprayed solution for repeated use ;0 prevent waste of the detergent employed. An- )ther object of the invention is to prevent the rinsing water from entering the tank to dilute the cleansing solution. The foregoing and other objects are'accomplished by the provision of a trough for collecting the cleansing solution and rinsing water after they have been sprayed on the articles. This trough is provided with two ports, one of which communicates with the solution tank and the other with a waste pipe leading to the exterior of 'the cabinet. These ports are controlled by valves provided with a common actuating mechanism, so that when one port, is open the other is closed. During the spraying of the articles with the cleansing solution the valves are regulated to close the port to the waste pipe and to open the port to the tank so that the previously sprayed solution returns to the tank,for further use. During the spraying of the articles. with rinsing water the valves are adjusted to close the port to the tank and to open the port to the waste pipe so that the rinsing water escapes from the machine without entering the solution tank. To'simplify the operation of the machine, a common means is provided for controlling the valves of both the trough and the pump so that the valves can be regulated to meet the requiremen by the turning of a single control arm.

The means employed in carr ing out the objects 2 of the invention are described in detail hereinafter, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts.

Figure 1 is front elevation, parts being broken away, of a dish-washing machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking toward the left,

but with the pump and the pipes connected therewith shown in full lines.

Figure 3 is a similar viewat right-angles to that shown in Fig. 2 on the broken sectional line 33 of Fig. 2, looking to the right.

Figure 4 is a detail plan view of one of the spraying headers. v

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing the twoway valve controlling the communications between the' pump and the pipes leading respectively from the supply and solution tanks.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 5 designates a casing of sheet metal in which are mounted the several parts comprising the device. The casing is seated in the base frame 6 ofangle-iron, to the corners of-which are attached the legs I, which may be varied in length to support the casing at the required elevations'above the floor. The legs extend above the base frame to reinforce the corners of the casing 5. The lower part of the casing is divided by the transverse vertical partition 8 to form the tank 9 to contain the washing solution and to form the compartment ill in which are mounted the centrifugal pump H and the electric motor l2 for driving the pump. The

pump and motor are stock material and need not be explained in detail.

3 Leading into the lower part oi? the tank 9 is the water-supply pipe l3 and the cleanout pipe ll leading from a source of pressure-fluid, not

shown. Leading from the under side oi! the tank is the drain-pipe l5 and from the upper part of the tank leads the over-flow pipe l6. These several pipes are provided with the usual controlvalves, not shown. Beneath the tank is a heater I! for heating the liquid contained in the tank. In the lower part of one side of the tank is elbow pipe 18 open at one end to the interior of the tank and communicating at the other end with one of the branches of the T-coupling IS; a second branch of the coupling communicates with the intake side of the pump II, and a third branch of the coupling communicates with a liquid-supply pipe 20. In the coupling is a twoway valve, indicated at 2!, operable to establish communication between the intake .side of the pump either with the elbow pipe l8 or the supply pipe 20, or to close communication between the pump and both -pipes. On the stem 22 of the valve 2| is a sprocket wheel 23 engaged by the sprocket chain 24 leading over the sprocket wheel 25 fixed on the shaft 26 journaled transversely across the main casing. One end of this shaft extends beyond the casing and fixed thereon is the control lever 21 adjacent to the switch box 5 tween the spraying heads and 3|.

.its own weight.

28 of the electric motor. The control lever and-switch box are-located together in an accessible position on the casing; so that the operation of the motor and the actuation of the valve can be simultaneously regulated.

Leading from the discharge side of the pump H is the pipe 29 leading to the upper and lower spraying heads 30 and 3|, respectively. Each head comprise 'a plurality of pipes 32 communicating with t e pipe 29 and carrying a series of sprayers 3,1. The two spraying heads are separated by a considerable interval, the upper one discharging downward and the lower one. dis-' charging upward. Extending across the intermediate part of the main casing 3 are the horizontal racks 34 to support the dish-tray 35 be- The tray has an open-work bottom to support the dishes and at the same time admit the spray from the lower head.

In opposite sides of the main casing 5 are openings 38, each of which is provided with a'door 31 vertically slidable in guides 38 secured to the wall 01' the casing. The two doors are connected with a common balancing weight 39 by chains 40 passing over the pulleys -42 to a common connection 43 to the weight. Each chain 40 is attached to its respective door on the inner side of t e latter opposite to the handle 84 fixed to the outer side of the door at the middle part thereof and adjacent to the lower edge of the door. The point of attachment of the chain to the door is vertically alined with the pulley 4| so that the door will be balanced on the chain, thereby avoiding any tendency of the door to bind in its guideways when moved by the chain. The weight 39 counterbalances the weight of both doors, so that when one door is moved by hand there will be a corresponding movement of the other door. With both doors closed, should one of them be raised by hand, the entire gravitational force of the weight 39 would be eiifective to raise the other door. Should both doors be open and one of them closed by hand, the movement -01 this door would raise the weight and the" other door, relieved of the counterbalance, would close by The openings in the opposite sides of the casing permit the introduction of the dish-tray from either side; with both doors open the cross ventilation through the opposite openings would drythe cleaned dishes in the tray.

On the upper part of the main casing 5, is a tank 44 to contain rinsing water, connected with the supply pipe 45. In the top of the tank is the vent 46 to permit passage of air from and to the tank as it fills or empties. Leading from the upper part of the T-coupling i9 is the pipe 20 previously referred to. By adjusting the valve 2| the pipe 20 and the tank 44 can be opened to the intake side of the pump II to force the rinsing water from this tank through the pipe 29 and heads 30-3| to spray the dishes in the tray. In the main casing 5 is a heater 41 mounted beneath the tank 44 to heat the rinsing water. The heater v4! is omitted from Fig. 3 for the sake of clearness in illustrating the pulleys and chains 40-.

In the upper part of the solution tank 9 is mounted the trough 48 which, with the partition 49 extending across the top of the pump and motor compartment it, serves to collect all the water used in the cleaning and rinsing operatioris. The partition 49 is slightly declined from the horizontal to carry the water received by it intothe trough. In the lower part of the trough is a port 50 that leads into the upper part of the solution tank 8 and a second port II that communicates with the waste exterior of the main casing. These. ports I and 3| are respectively controlled by th valves 33 and 34 with their stems respectively connected with the alined arms 88 and 34 extending div ametrically from the shaft 24, to whichthe arms are aflixed by the bushing II. The shaft 23, as

previously described, can be rotated by the arm '21 to actuate the valves 53 and '4 to open and close their respective ports.

In the upper part of the trough 48 ismounted a strainer comprising abutting sections 38 resting on angle strips 89 secured to opposite sides of the trough. The strainer sections 38, abutting at their transverse edges, extend across the trough 48 with their ends resting on the angle strips 39 secured to and extending along the opposite longitudinal walls of the trough. Each strainer section is shaped like a shallow pan with a screen bottom. The sections are so proportioned and posi-. tioned that the stems of the valves 83, 34 pass between abutting transverse sides of the sections. To prevent clogging of the ,valve by material lodged on the strainer, the contacting sides of the sections are shaped to form tubes 88 through which the valve stems pass. The strainer sections to be cleaned can be raised from the supporting strips 59 throughthe openings 36 in the casing when the doors are open and the dish-tray removed.

In the operation of the washing machine, the tanks 9 and 44 are filled through their respective supply pipes l3 and 43 with water, which is heated to the required temperature by the heaters I 1 and 41. The doors 31 are opened and by removing one of the strainersections 58, a detergent can be in: troduced through the port 88 into the tank I to form with the water therein a cleansing solution,

the strainer section being then replaced. 'The tray 35, filled with soiled dishes, is placed in the casing on the supports 34 and the doors are closed. The switch in the box 28 is manipulated to start the motor l2 to actuate the pump ll; simultaneously, the control lever21 is moved to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1, to actuate the intervening mechanism to turn the valve 2| to open the intake side of the pump to the elbow pipe l8 communicating with the interior of the tank 9, as shown by full lines in Fig. 5. The valve so positioned closes the communication between the intake side of the pump and the pipe 20 leading from the tank 44. The action of the pump draws the cleansing solution from the tank 9 and forces it through the pipe the sprayers 30 and 3| against the dishes in the tray. It is to be observed that the mouth of the pipe I8 .is horizontal to be entirely covered by the solution at a low level, thereby preventing the sucking of air into the pump.

When the control lever 21 is turned to the left to open the pump to the solution tank, it rotates .the shaft 26; the connections of the valves "and 54 with the shaft are such that this rotation of the shaft simultaneously actuates the valves to open the port 58 and to close the port II in the trough 48, as indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 8. The hot cleansing solution sprayed on the dishes collects in the trough and is returned through the port Wtothetankltobeusedagain. Flowing into the trough, the cleansingsolution A through the strainers and the larger particles of extraneous matter washed from the dishes are caught. After each washing operation the 29 to be projected by strainer sections can be removed and'cleaned. A

ingle charge of the washing solution can be used epeatedly before its cleansing properties are exlausted. The cleansing solution can be cleared some extent by admitting a small addition of vater to the tank through the supply pipe l3 so hat the grease and other matter floating on the op of the water are discharged through the overlow pipe IS. The exhausted solution is dis- :harged from the tank through the drain pipe l5 ind steam or hot water can be introduced through he pipe H to dislodge sediment in the bottom of he tank and to clean its interior.

After a tray of dishes has been sufficiently prayed and washed by the cleansing solution, the :ontrol lever 21 is turned to the right from the )osition shown in Fig. 1 to operate the valve 2| ;0 close the intake of the pump to the pipe l8 and men it to the pipe 20 leading from the tank 44 to spray the hot water therefrom against the dishes to rinse the same. This turning of the control lever rotates the shaft 26 to actuate the valves 53 and 54 to close the port 50 and to open the port 5|, as shown by full lines in Fig. 3. With the ports and valves so arranged, the rinsing water collected in the trough 48 is discharged through the port 5| and the waste pipe 52 to the exterior of the casing. After the dishes have been rinsed, the control lever 21 is turned to the position shown in Fig. l to actuate the valve 2! to close the pump to both of the pipes I8 and 20 and the switch at the box 28 is manipulated to open the circuit through the motor l2 to stop the action of the pump. The position of the valve 2! is indicated by a dotted line in Fig. 5 to show the pump closed to both of the pipes l8 and 20; with the valve in this neutral position the control lever 21 is in the intermediate position, as shown in Fig. 1. The doors 31 are opened and the tray with the dishes is removed for drying, or the tray is permitted to remain and owing to the heat in the casing and the cross ventilation through the doors the dishes can be dried in the casing.

What I claim is:

1. In a washing machine, the combination of a casing, with solution and rinsing tanks, the solution tank being contained in the lower part of the casing and the rinsing tank being mounted on the casing, a tray displaceably supported in the casing above the solution tank, a sprayer positioned in the casing to direct liquid against articles carried by the tray, a pump communicating on its intake side with both tanks and on its discharge side with the sprayer, a valve controlling the intake communications to connect the pump with either tank or to close both communications, a trough mounted in the upper part of the solution tank to receive the liquid sprayed on the tray, said trough having a port communicating with the solution tank and a second port communicating with a dischar e pipe leading to the exterior of the casing, valves respectively controlling said trough ports, and a common means for actuating both of the latter valves in timed relation to open one port and to close simultaneously the other port so that the flow of liquid fromthe trough can be directed either to the solution tank or to the discharge pipe.

2. In a washing machine, the combination of a casing, with solution and rinsing tanks, the solution tank being contained in the lower part of the casing and the rinsing tank being mounted on the casing, a tray displaceably supported in the casing, a sprayer positioned in the casing to direct liquid against articles carried by the tray, a pump communicating on its intake side with both tanks and on its discharge side with the sprayer, a valve controlling the intake communications to connect the pump with either tank or to close both communications, a trough mounted in the casing below the tray to receive the sprayed liquid, said trough having a port communicating with the solution tank and a second port communicating with a discharge pipe leading to the exterior of the casing, valves respectivelycontrolling said trough ports, and a common actuating means for the pump and troughvalves, said actuating means being operative to open the valve controlling the communication between the solution tank and the pump intake and simultaneously operating the trough valves to open the port to the solution tank and to close the port to the waste pipe so that the trough collects the sprayed solution to discharge the same through the open port into the solution tank, and said actuating means being also operative to open the valve controlling the communication between the rinsing tank and the pump intake and simultaneously operating the trough valves to close the port to the solution tank and to open the port to the waste pipe so that the trough collects the 'sprayed rinsing water to discharge the latter through the waste pipe.

LOUIS D. SCHMIDT. 

